Westkill Mountain, Catskill NY TR
Dec 22, 2014 7:41:19 GMT -5
Post by hoosier on Dec 22, 2014 7:41:19 GMT -5
Saturday December 20, 2014
Westkill Mountain, Catskill’s New York
Saturday morning bright and early found myself at the end of Spruceton Road. And the trailhead parking area for the blue blazed Diamond Notch trail. On Friday night I decided it’s been way too long since I’ve hiked in the Catskill’ and I figured I go hike Westkill. The sixth highest of the Catskill 3500 peaks at 3880 feet of elevation. Plus I felt I needed to break out the snowshoes. Even though the calendar said it was the last day of fall
While driving through the snowless eastern Catskills. I was wondering if I would have to strap the snowshoes on my feet. Or if they would just take a ride on my pack. But by the time a was passing through Phoenicia I noticed all the trees higher up on the peaks where coated white.
After putting on my snowshoes and signing in at the trailhead register. I started up the blue blazed Diamond Notch trail. The trail was covered with a good six to eight inches of snow. With a well defined snowshoe track. Followed along the snowy Westkill Creek for .9 miles to Diamond Notch Falls (Buttermilk Falls) and the junction of the red blazed Devils Path. Which I would follow west to the summit of Westkill.
After the trail junction the Devils path follows the stream for a bit. Before beginning the relentless and sometimes steep climb up the ridge.
Before too long I reached the 3500 foot sign. Amid heavily snow covered trees. And a good 12 to 18 inch base if snow underfoot. Even if you got off the snowshoe track. The snow was very supportive for my MSR snowshoes.
Soon the trail attained the ridge. And went over a PUD before dropping 80 feet or so. And then the final climb to the Buck Ridge Lookout. Alas when I got to the lookout I just happened to be up in the clouds with no views. Decided to quickly hit the summit. Where I noticed the Westkill sign no longer exist. Headed back to the outlook. And waited for 30 minutes or so. Just hoping for the foggy conditions to burn off. But no luck. Took a picture of some rime ice covered trail markers and decided it was time to get off the mountain. As I was starting to get chilled.
View of the inside of the clouds today
It was an uneventful, but beautiful walk back out through the snow covered fir’s up high. By the time I made it back to the parking area. The cloud (fog) conditions had lowered. And only the lower slopes of the Westkill where visible. Good thing I didn’t spend hours on the Buck Ridge Lookout waiting for a view.
Great snowshoe conditions on Saturday. But not sure what the weather this week will do to the snow depths.
Westkill Mountain, Catskill’s New York
Saturday morning bright and early found myself at the end of Spruceton Road. And the trailhead parking area for the blue blazed Diamond Notch trail. On Friday night I decided it’s been way too long since I’ve hiked in the Catskill’ and I figured I go hike Westkill. The sixth highest of the Catskill 3500 peaks at 3880 feet of elevation. Plus I felt I needed to break out the snowshoes. Even though the calendar said it was the last day of fall
While driving through the snowless eastern Catskills. I was wondering if I would have to strap the snowshoes on my feet. Or if they would just take a ride on my pack. But by the time a was passing through Phoenicia I noticed all the trees higher up on the peaks where coated white.
After putting on my snowshoes and signing in at the trailhead register. I started up the blue blazed Diamond Notch trail. The trail was covered with a good six to eight inches of snow. With a well defined snowshoe track. Followed along the snowy Westkill Creek for .9 miles to Diamond Notch Falls (Buttermilk Falls) and the junction of the red blazed Devils Path. Which I would follow west to the summit of Westkill.
After the trail junction the Devils path follows the stream for a bit. Before beginning the relentless and sometimes steep climb up the ridge.
Before too long I reached the 3500 foot sign. Amid heavily snow covered trees. And a good 12 to 18 inch base if snow underfoot. Even if you got off the snowshoe track. The snow was very supportive for my MSR snowshoes.
Soon the trail attained the ridge. And went over a PUD before dropping 80 feet or so. And then the final climb to the Buck Ridge Lookout. Alas when I got to the lookout I just happened to be up in the clouds with no views. Decided to quickly hit the summit. Where I noticed the Westkill sign no longer exist. Headed back to the outlook. And waited for 30 minutes or so. Just hoping for the foggy conditions to burn off. But no luck. Took a picture of some rime ice covered trail markers and decided it was time to get off the mountain. As I was starting to get chilled.
View of the inside of the clouds today
It was an uneventful, but beautiful walk back out through the snow covered fir’s up high. By the time I made it back to the parking area. The cloud (fog) conditions had lowered. And only the lower slopes of the Westkill where visible. Good thing I didn’t spend hours on the Buck Ridge Lookout waiting for a view.
Great snowshoe conditions on Saturday. But not sure what the weather this week will do to the snow depths.
